The Crooked Billet in South Oxfordshire

The staff gave us a bar menu for food on Sunday evening, but then sounded astonished when we asked where the bar was and rudely grunted that they don’t have one. There was hardly anyone in there with a horrible unfriendly atmosphere where the staff seemed like we were an inconvenience. RIDICULOUSLY overpriced. We left within 10 minutes and will not go back

Nice food and Heather was very kind and made sure we had everything we need would recommend coming very good atmosphere.

We enjoyed my daughter's wedding reception here and what a treat it was!! I cannot fault anything. If I had to single out one thing for extra praise, it was the attitude of the staff. Nothing was too much trouble and they were so attentive and helpful. The food was divine. We could not have had a better evening

There are no negatives here. The food was really well cooked, tasty and more than plentiful. Each dish had thoughtful features that made them more interesting. From the table settings to the dishes everyting is well thought through. The service is friendly and just attentive enough. Oh, and the servings are fast and hot. The restauranteur has many years of successful catering and he rarely disappoints. We have been going for 25 years and the whole team thouroughly deserve 5 stars. Consistently better than the other eateries around.

We went to The Crooked Billet last night as part of my 50th Birthday celebrations. What a meal we had! We hadn't been to the CB for about 15 years - we hoped that the food would be as good as the last visit, and we weren't disappointed. I had the most amazing prawn starter, and then a prawn & monkfish curry - superb. We all had different meals and our friends also thought the food was amazing. The service we had was impeccable too - such a friendly, helpful waitress. Did I mention the cocktails? They were great too, and I'm very fussy! We will definitely be back - we just won't leave it so long next time!

We ate at the Crooked Billet on a friends recommendation and it certainly didn’t disappoint! The food was outstanding and the potion size was ample. The food arrived promptly and the staff were very attentive. It was the perfect spot for our anniversary. Would highly, highly recommend.

The Crooked Billet, for several years, offered the best meal I have ever eaten. They had a fillet steak, with a small disc of pate on top, sitting on a potato rosti, red wine jus, wilted spinach. Again, it was the best meal I have ever eaten. Then they took it off the menu. Then it was back on. Now it seems gone for good. The steak/lobster option they offer now just isn't the same eating experience. Now naturally, the cost of things will impact what they offer, but when they can create such astoundingly good food, it's sad to see things become more standard, more like everything else.

A disappointing visit to what we had been told was an exceptional venue. We were greeted by a very frosty and offhand front of house member who made her disapproval of us evident from the moment we walked in. She was extremely rude when taking a drinks order and made one of our party feel very uncomfortable with the way she spoke. The food was quite good on the whole, wouldn’t say it’s very good value for money and also all came out luke warm at best. Couldn’t fault the other members of staff, lovely barman in particular. We had another unfortunate interaction when paying the bill, as we decided not to tip due to her singular bad service - she realised we hadn’t tipped and again made her disapproval obvious and flounced off without giving us a receipt or leaving the bill. Won’t be coming back :)

Lunch for six on a beautiful summer's day. A most smiley welcome, and intro to the dining room tidily set with furnishings tastefully preserving the simple antiquity of the former tucked-away Brakespeare pub. The menu is clever and different, the varieties of the meals tease your curiosity, the starters were generous, and we six had five different mains, all well appreciated, well cooked and presented. The garden tables were busy, and so too the restaurant. The front of house staff were attentive and cheery. We were very pleased to find this unpretentious gem, where we will meet again.

We came here on recommendation from a friend and were happy we did. Not having booked a table the staff were very helpful and accommodating. The service very professional but friendly. Our food very good quality well presented and very tasty also fairly priced . Would we visit again yes in a heartbeat.

We visited The Crooked Billet last night for the first time in a few years after moving away. My partner adores the pub, many stories from his teenage years involve this pub at some point. Later when we started dating we went to the music nights (such great evenings), but last night topped all of those memories. We took my mother in law for her birthday. She wanted to go somewhere lovely but low key as she had just lost her husband. So we said nothing to the staff, but we did toast her with a cocktail. The staff must have heard and after a stunning meal of the quality we remember the staff bought over a cake with a candle, no huge fuss, but enough to make her feel special. Perfect. They then gave us a box of fudge (a real favourite of my mother in law). The staff did not know the full story of why we were there but they made the evening perfect. It was a bitter sweet birthday, but we left with huge smiles and a very warm feeling. Thank you so much

oven chips which is a shame and the roast was average. The Yorkshire def overdone. The sirloin of beef was not medium so obviously cooked earlier shame as we love the pub or from yesterday?? Could cook better at home.

Just been to a music night with the guitarist Gordon Giltrap and John Eleridge .fantastic evening the food was excellent and to meet Gordon was a dream as I've followed him since the mid seventies. So if you like live music find this hidden pub for its fantastic music events and brilliant food .

Went there for a "tribute to the music of George Harrison". Really appealed to me being a child of the sixties and a big Beatles fan. Unfortunately it didnt turn out well. Although the staff and service was great the meal was completely over priced (you should try the Highwayman 10 minutes away if you want see value for money). The entertainment was very poor with only 60% of songs played being songs that I associate with George Harrison! I agree with John (M) that charging £8.80p for a pint of lager was taking the p..s! Does the landlord expect customers charging these prices and providing that service, Really dissappointing and we wont be going back there again!

Visited for a George Harrison tribute evening. Firstly the good points. The waiting staff were excellent, very efficient and friendly. The steak was delicious, and for £42 it should be. The musicians were very underwhelming. Many of the songs played were quite obscure Harrison songs. There were so many other hit songs that could have been played and as for reading a poem by Olivia Harrison then playing an unknown song based on it ,was not what I expected. Very disappointed. The lukewarm applause between songs summed it up for me. And finally how on earth can you justify charging £8.80 for a pint of San Miguel. Will not be returning anytime soon.

Excellent all round. The skate wing was cooked to perfection, the filo Bix cheese parcel looked and tasted great and the fish/chips and sea bass were equally good. Good well priced wine list and big shout out for the excellent service. Only downside was charging £3.50 for a half pint of lime and soda?

Beef SINDAY LUNCH Main course food other than cauliflower cheese and potatoes was stone cold! Table booked until 3pm but 2.45 m told us to move to marquee or cancel coffees which we duly cancelled First and last time we would go there Certainly not worth the journey to the middle of nowhere!!

Absolutely fabulous lunch today. Three delicious courses each from the very well priced special lunch menu. Warm and attentive service. Will be back again very soon.

We came here for lunch between Christmas and New Year, four adults and three children, eight years old down to three years old, the place was v busy, luckily we had booked. Service was excellent, our lady server (Ottie?) was absolutely brilliant, nothing was too much trouble and she had a lovely demeanor, always smiling, despite the occasional chaos of the three little people around her feet. Menu was stacked full of the most mouthwatering sounding dishes, and thankfully not overpriced, as was the drinks list, plenty of choices and some great wines. Food was delicious and plenty of it, proper family size portions. This is an exceptional eating and drinking place bursting with character, history, and yes, it shows; don't expect a shiny new, polished and pristine place, it ain't, and more is the pleasure, atmosphere and magic of this old, rustic, highwayman's retreat. Dick Turpin was here! ;-) Well-done and thank you so much, we had a fantastic time with you, 10/10, we will definitely be coming back.

Lunch time meal for four; three starters, four mains, only two deserts and with two of us driving not a lot of alcohol - £350 - seemed expensive. Food was good but not exceptional, some of the vegetables were close to raw... perhaps barely cooking stuff is a 'cheffie' thing these days, fine for steak and venison but not Brussel sprouts ;-) Outside is either shabby chic or a junk yard, depending on one's perception of old bikes and pianos offset by scrap cookers and fridges.

Outstanding Sunday lunch, great range of starters and the best roast beef with generous sides included. As for the puddings the chocolate nemesis was a highlight. Good range of vegetarian and fish options. Service was exceptional. Have been coming here for many years and it is consistently high quality and reliable.

We had fabulous time here with our friends. Quaint little lovely Country pub tucked away in a lovely rural setting. Truly picturesque pub. Food was outstanding, lovely selection of drinks & service was great the minute we arrived. Friendly and great atmosphere.

Self trained chef Paul knows have to serve great food. This is not a haute dining restaurant it serves modern wholesome food in good portions, if you want foam & dots and a dish looking like a Joan Miro don't go. But if you want fresh modern English food it is one of the best. Wine prices are reasonable, they have live music sometimes in the marquee. It is top of my list in the south Oxfordshire area.

Wow! We didn’t book in advance, thinking it would be a quiet cheeky Friday lunch as one of our ‘safe places’. How wrong were we? It was busy, which was good to see! We were greeted with a lovely warm welcome as usual, which starts the whole experience off on a brilliant start. The service was fantastic and the ability to be flexible from turning a starter into a main course with a tweak to accommodate lactose intolerance was outstanding, with a couple of different options to choose from (mussels with either a cider sauce or tomato with garlic). Never thought of mussels and tomato before but it was delicious … just from the taste I had as it was my husband’s dish! The starters of teriyaki beef riblets and open duck spring roll were delicious, as were the mussels to follow and the wrapped chicken. Never had celeriac mash before, it was so nice and wish there was more! That said we both couldn’t finish our mains so dessert was out of the question, gutted! All in all it was a lovely lunch, great food and service and not what we’d call expensive at all. We’ll definitely be back again and again as this is one of two places where the food and service is outstanding and can easily cater for allergies or intolerances.

We had the most wonderful time at our niece’s wedding yesterday. We were made to feel so welcome by the fabulous team and the food was delicious . The venue was beautifully decorated, the building itself has such a cosy and elegant charm to it. It couldn’t have been a more perfect day.

As a group of 13 for lunch we were well looked after. The staff were friendly, accomodating and provided excellent service for both food and drinks. Everybody enjoyed the starters and main courses so compliments and thanks to the chef. We would definitely recommend. Thank you.

On our way to Heathrow I told my wife that I would be here October 5th for a concert, and would like to check the premises before. A single pint would do. Cost me GBP 125, this dropping by! Their August special was their lobster plate, a mixture of some of the best seafood I have ever had. And I am pretty old, I have in all modesty had splendid seafood in many parts of the world. But never better. Extremely well presented, half a lobster each, clams, gigant shrimps, a whole crab, well prepared in its shelf, large mussels, fresh vegetables etc. All extremely fresh and of the highest quality you could imagine. Best meal I have had for a long time.

Disappointed, food was nice and service good but the toilets stunk like those at a festival, not what I expected for the price of the food. The atmosphere in a big nearly empty marquee was lacking and it was freezing.

A great venue with overly large portions and hence cost Very good service but rather expensive Quirky decors but for a Tuesday well booked

The loveliest lunch! The venue is so quirky and rustic, I love the vintage style it has. We visited for my mums 50th birthday lunch. The area is very big and has lots of seating, spaced out perfectly. We ordered 5 starters to share between the 5 of us and it was a plentiful amount with the portion sizes being great. We had the prawns/shrimps, duck and watermelon, lobster tail, haggis, liver parfait and then shared two portion of chunky chips and the sourdough with garlic butter. Everything was beyond DELICIOUS. To finish we all shared one tea creme brûlée, the home made hob nob biscuits were so incredible, I’ve never tasted a biscuit so yummy! The service was brilliant, everyone very friendly and very quick to serve us too. Overall a fantastic first ever visit and will definitely be returning soon!

I took my parents out last Tuesday (20th), for the first time in several months and we had a fantastic seafood platter and dessert. My father is a man of few words but he still hasn't stopped talking about it. Lovely setting and friendly, helpful staff. Great place to come for a special occasion. I was worried because the fixed price menu wasn't (understandably at the moment) available but the portions are generous. We will certainly be back.

Food was superb as was the wonderful service, staff so efficient and friendly. Consistently excellent - The best restaurant in the South East.

We have enjoyed their takeaways regularly through lockdown, but what a treat to finally sit inside the Billet itself (well, the marquee) and enjoy the food piping hot and fresh from the kitchen. The food is perfectly cooked, the combinations excellent and the service spot on. The haggis and venison was great, but tonight's star turn was the vegan dim sum. Fast in advance as the portions are huge.Covid precautions are well in place, with tables well spaced, face masks, sanitiser, etc. The marquee is open sided but we were not cold, although we had all wrapped up warm. Hopefully a return to fully inside eating will be with us soon.

Delicious takeaway Sunday roast!! We ordered takeaway for a birthday meal and it was absolutely fantastic. We had the roast beef with ALL the trimmings. Ordering again for next Sunday. We live in Henley and it was well worth the drive to go and collect it. Menu changes every week with loads of tempting offerings. If you haven’t tried their takeaway menu yet you absolutely must.

Salt beef, so flavoursome, lamb shank perfectly cooked in a beautiful gravy. Full marks to the Crooked Billet for keeping going during lockdown and no kitchen corners cut while their service is takeaway only. Quality as good as ever.We can’t wait for the return of their legendary steak and kidney puddings, perfect for this winter weather.

In lockdown, some things are great, including the takeaway at The Crooked Billet. Just phone and collect delicious gourmet food to dine at home! We had the roast beef and Yorkshire's and all the trimmings, generous proportions and a bottle of Fleurie! Lemon tart and cheesecake for afters enhanced our Sunday lockdown, so thank you to Paul and all the team.

We had the takeaway Sunday Roast yesterday. The beef was delicious, the portion sizes generous and everything was brilliant. we will be back for another soon.

Covid measures in good order, making us feel safe. A pleasant atmosphere, irreprehensible and friendly service, a reasonable range of beers (I didn't order the wine list) and excellent food. All for a good price. What more can we want? Visit to repeat for sure.

I can recommend Paul's steak and kidney puddings and all the trimmings TAKEAWAY. Delicious desserts, Tiramisu and chocolate brownies... Choose a nice bottle of wine to go with it and it starts the weekend well!

Came here for Saturday lunch for a friend’s birthday a few weeks ago. Had a very nice roast chicken that was elevated by the gravy it was served with. My wife’s fish and chips was also very good. Not especially good value but OK. We were sat in the marquee section at the back which feels a bit like an aeroplane hanger and difficult to heat but it felt cosy after a few hours and the atmosphere definitely improved as we got other diners coming in for lunch and early dinner (we stayed for drinks!). Would certainly return.

Four of us had a lovely Sunday lunch at this very atmospheric pub restaurant. Staff were welcoming and friendly, making it a thoroughly enjoyable experience.There is a extensive a la carte menu (can be seen online) plus a lunch menu with a limited choice, but at a £30 set price. One of our party had the venison and haggis from the a la carte was superb. I opted for the set menu with a lovely crispy duck starter (highly recommended) and a gournard main. Rounded off with home made sticky toffee pudding, this was a very good meal.The wine list is pretty extensive and there is Brakespeare bitter on tap.The restaurant was busy which gave the place a good atmosphere. Thoroughly enjoyable.

Myself and my partner came for dinner and we called to book a reservation. Table was confirmed for 5.30pm.When we arrived the staff were dragging tables around and it was not very welcoming and we were stood waiting around We were told briefly that they had a second booking which we were more than happy with.The food arrive and we beyond happy. Everything was just delicious. Our favourite was the mussels in a Thai green sauce. Amazing flavours.Whilst eating our mains a waitress was opening a bottle of champagne for the table next to us and it sprayed everywhere including over us.She didn't care and just dumped the bottle down and walked off. When our mains got cleared we were offered dessert menus. We decided what we wanted and a different waitress took are order.5 minutes later she came over to our table and told us we couldn't have desserts and we need to leave as there second booking will be arriving.I have never experienced such rude customer service.The worse thing is there were 6 empty tables and we were being 'chucked' out.Completely ruined our night.It's a real shame because the food was incredible but the service ruined it.

Booked for myself, my husband, our two children and my parents. Arrived and was told only lunch menu available which was disappointing as we wasn’t told at time of booking. Food was ok, but fairly overpriced for what it was, in particular, £8.50 for three scoops of ice cream! Don’t think we will be back anytime soon

We had lunch here yesterday. This is an idyllic spot in the Chilterns with lovely rural walks from the car park. The lunch is brilliant: truly wonderful food obviously prepared with love. The staff were all welcoming and friendly and handled the necessities of the covid restrictions with great tact and care. We will certainly make this one of our favourite haunts. (You may need satnav to find it: it is definitely off the beaten track.)

Visited for Saturday lunch on a whim, lucky to find a table. Quaint bar area, great food, friendly and helpful staff who were eager for one to enjoy their visit. Very clean, supporting visitors conscious of COVID risks. Recommended!

Just attended the Dennis Greaves and Mark Feltham music event. Really enjoyed it. The whole trip was brilliant we stayed nearby at the excellent Handywater Cottage B and B and the owners even drove us to the event and collected us. The service we were getting there was repeated the minute we stepped inside. The service was exemplary the food and wine excellent. A really great night out in these dismal times.

Came in with my wife. Had a lovely lunch outside in the country pub garden. Really liked the Oxford Gold ale! We immediately felt welcomed by a lovely young lady, by the name of Robin, who’s service throughout our meal was exceptional. The roast was delicious. I had the beef, Lilly had the chicken. They were both delicious! The veg was also brilliant (would’ve preferred our own individual portions than sharing - would’ve saved me an argument on the car journey home LOL). However overall was an excellent day out. Will be recommending to all of my friends.

I have reviewed this wonderful place several times over the past 30 plus years because I have so many lovely memories of meals with family and friends.However our visit last night fell short of the usual experience on a couple of fronts. We regularly supported two of our favourite restaurants during lockdown, the CB being one, purchasing evening meals and Sunday lunches from their takeaway menus. Last night we were not greeted with our usual glass of fizz which we have become accustomed to as we are fairly regular customers to the pub and to music nights. My partners lamb was chewy and gristly with burned onion in the roasted vegetables. The manager, as delightful as ever, replaced it very quickly and removed it from the bill (which was unnecessary but appreciated) so the service remains excellent.My sea bass, the starters and cheese plate were all very good. However whilst we expected prices for the food to rise as this industry has been so hard hit during lockdown the charge for my Prosecco at £8.80 a glass was eye watering. At six glasses in a bottle that's £52.80 for a very unremarkable Prosecco.I left feeling irritated and questioning whether I want to return to have my memories sullied. I have always felt welcomed and valued as a customer but that was missing last night. I hope Paul C or his excellent managers read these reviews and respond accordingly.

It’s been a while since we have visited Thr Crooked Billet. The service and food are first class. It’s a hidden gem and somewhere I would highly recommend if you love your food.

The Crooked Billet lived up to its excellent reputation with some excellent food and a warm welcome. Mary Berry was there when we visited, some vindication for the quality of food and atmosphere provided!

Good and not so good. A fabulous place, fabulous atmosphere fabulous service. Started with oysters all good, for me I prefer smaller ones but that is a personal choice. Pork belly very disappointing we know pork belly is fatty but this really was 90% fat but the chorizo bean stew it came with was delicious. Sticky toffee pudding a delight. Of course will return but must remember no pork belly for that go to Worall Thompson’s place The Greyhound.

Visited 26th August for dinner. Seated in the marquee with plenty of space around us. Staff couldn’t do enough for us and despite the pub itself being small by nature they did a great job of ensuring social distancing. Absolutely delicious food (burratta and parfait to start, venison and pork belly for main), lovely wine and our waitress was fab.

I have had a couple of attempts as they tell me the chef can prepare vegan food and they advertise that they do. The food we had was definitely an afterthought by the chef and absolutely tasteless! As the Facebook quote says "How come I can make Seitan steaks and souffle at home and even Michelin Star restaurants can only manage a salad and few tomatoes!"

I can't think of many better places to spend a sunny, summer evening. This pub is a gem, off the beaten track in the middle of the countryside. Not only does it look beautiful, the food is to die for. I ordered the venison which was beautifully pink in the middle but charred and peppery on the outside, with a rich, sweet sauce. It was possibly the best venison I've ever tasted. My wife opted for the sea bass which came with prawns, veg and smashed avocado which looked beautifully summery. Dessert didn't quite match the high standards of the main. I had a raspberry and white chocolate cheesecake which was light and very pleasant but I've had several better raspberry and white chocolate cheesecakes over the years. My wife ordered a sticky toffee pudding which had a lovely flavour but the sponge was overcooked and hard in places to the point where we almost needed a knife to cut through. The atmosphere in the pub was lovely with everybody so relaxed, it was a joy to be there and not the kind of easy-going mood you'd expect from somewhere with such high quality food.

Excellent sea food plate for two, generous roast beef and very good steak. Service also very good. Wines are pricey but what we had was good. We all thoroughly enjoyed it!

Went to the crooked Lum in East Kilbride for some food, was greeted at the door by our servers Angela and Shona, spoke to us about al the new processes with COVID 19, disposable menus ect and one way systems. Food came out prompt and hot service was great will be back again!

I came to the Crooked Billet with my daughters for a meal and was impressed with quick and friendly staff. The food was good value for money as we took advantage of the Saturday deal. The barman Alex was polite and even brought our drinks out to us. We will definitely be back again.

We returned to this restaurant for the first time since lockdown for dinner.We dined in the larger dining room with about ten tables socially distanced.It is a delightful room with the walls covered with photographs from Victorian times. The only problem with this room is that it is very noisy even when not full.We had bread and olives while we waited for the starter.The starter was Crispy Duck Salad with watermelon and beansprouts.The combination of flavours makes this one of the best starters I have ever tasted.My main was Roast Chicken with delicious fluffy chips.Dessert was a very light Passionfruit Pannacotta. The staff were excellent and very knowledgeable, but I was surprised they didn't wear any PPE as is common in most restaurant nowadays.In summary a delightful experience

An excellent dining experience. The friendly staff and lovely setting make it an ideal place for a meal out. The food is top quality. The pub is down to earth and out in the sticks but is very popular. We enjoyed a lovely evening.

I was really looking forward to eating here after hearing so many good things about it from all my colleagues. This was my first meal out with a friend since lock down measures had lifted and I was looking forward to making the most of the eat out to help out scheme. I must say I came away feeling very dissapointed with the food. We both ordered the squid to start and it just didn't taste very fresh and crispy. It was as if it had come out of the freezer to be honest and the sauce from a bottle but squid is always hit and miss so I didn't think much of it. I was then going to have the chicken but after explaining how the pork came (it wasnt clear from the menu) and that it was amazing and best thing on the menu the waitress managed to change my mind. Unfortunately the Pork was dry underneath and very fatty on top and the chorizo and bean it came on top of was cold. It was such a shame and didn't live up to expectations. When the server came to collect our plates I said that I had been dissapointed and she was very apologetic and came back to offer us free dessert which was lovely. My lemon tart was delicious but my friends meringue was hard and she only ate half. Again such a shame The atmosphere was ok and the service was fine but when I said the pork was dry I got met with well you didn't tell me that when I came over to check. At that point I hadn't even tried the pork. However offering us a free dessert was very kind and as I said the lemon tart was amazing. I also didnt really feel their were many covid measures in place i.e no hand sanitiser anywhere etcI really wanted to love the meal here and I hope if I come again it will be better as for the price I just didnt think it lived up to expectations.

This is a little Gem. The menu features seasonal produce, high quality meat and fish with an interesting wine list to make selection thoughtful! We celebrated an anniversary and birthday recently with a party of seven including two under 9years. Despite the Covid restrictions in place we enjoyed excellent food in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere and we felt safe. The party selected five different mains and all were delighted with their choices which is a tribute to the attention to detail in the kitchen. Similarly a wide range of choices from the starters and deserts made this a memorable evening in comfortable surroundings. We will return soon.

Have eaten here for over 30 years and it has remained my favourite place in the world. Weddings, birthdays, Christmas parties , music nights, impromptu lunches, anniversaries and romantic meals with my wife. Have loved them all. Paul knows how to look after you and creates AMAZING flavours.

I had been supporting the CB during lockdown for their excellent Sunday takeaways so it was an easy choice to make for our first Sunday outing. We were greeted and shown to the “event” tent which had masses of space for social distancing. The food and service were excellent. The welcoming glass of bubbly was full and fresh as always. The dessert was so nice I had two, to my wife’s embarrassment. If I could have been critical, I would have been more comfortable if the serving staff had masks, whilst actually serving. The other thing I noticed was the price of a good bottle of wine, having drunk wine at home for the previous 4 months!!

We visited here with family, lovely find warm and attentive. Drinks great, atmosphere lovely and warm and snuggly

Great take away dinner from The Crooked Billet...sea bass and sides and roast duck and sides...all delicious and good value! Keep up the good work at The Crooked Billet. We were lucky to see the musician strumming guitar in the sunny garden.

This is a wonderful local pub with great food. During Lockdown they are doing a “take away” service providing some of their very best dishes. We had 4 different main courses and we enjoyed every one of them. Lots of food envy.

Can’t recommend this place enough! After several weeks of home cooking and eating the same dishes over and over again we decided to venture down to the Crooked Billet as soon as we saw the special Sharing Crab plenty for 2 people! It was beautiful, fresh and full of flavour! It’s amazing In times like these what Paul and his staff are capable of! We will definitely be visiting again soon!

From the start of this great take away idea,we've used it once a week. The food choice,quality and socially distanced service are all spot on. The sunday lunch roast beef special is a delicious and true feast! We can't recommend the food highly enough.Well done to CB team for all their hard work to make this happen.Richard & Anna (Checkendon)

If eight weeks of home cooking has left you a wee bit jaded (!)...check out the Crooked Billet newsletter menu and ring for a SOUTH OXFORDSHIRE TAKE AWAY PAR EXCELLENCE! Paul is in the Kitchen cooking, so it's GREAT.I CAN RECOMMEND THE ROAST BEEF AND YORKSHIRE AND ALL THE TRIMMINGS, FAT JUICY ROAST CHICKENS, add a bottle from the rack and take it home and sit in the garden. THE GOING OUT THAT IS BETTER THAN GOING OUT!Keep up the good work Paul...it is entrepreneurs like you that enrich people's lives and we could all do with that right now. Well done and thank you! We'll be back soon...

Went for dinner just as a couple. Food pretty good as always ...... reliable and starters great. Probably left a bit disappointed...... menu doesn’t appear to have changed at all since we went several months ago so a bit bored with the menu. The desert ..... a chocolate tart - was very very heavy and very dry. The main dining room I always find very stuffy, no ventilation ......So overall I think it’s needing a revamp, updated menu and the main dining areas need a refurb ......

Had the set lunch menu, good value, and was spoiled for choice. Everything we tried was excellent, beautifully presented, and 'just right' portions. Service was friendly and well timed. My only criticism .... It would be nice to have had the tablecloth ironed!!!

This was our second visit for lunch. We expected a set menu for Valentines Day, but to our delight the full menu was on offer at a fixed price. The choices here are exceptional which means its tough to decide what to select - a great problem to have at any restaurant. We chose Scallops and Smoked Mackerel followed by Venison & Duck Breast. The food was excellent and the flavours were spot on. The wine list pffers a wide choice of international wines. We chose the Malbec which for 175ml glasses was expensive at £7.95 but very smooth and full bodied. For desert we chose the Key Lime Pie and Caramelised Lemon Tart. Both were exceptional and good to follow the mains. The chilled Fudge that accompanied the coffees was special - we bought a box when we left! Try it you wont be disappointed. Will keep returning its that good!

Great day - from the welcoming coffee and cake through the demonstration which covered an enormous amount of ground - to the constant banter between Paul the owner and Chris the Head chef - tasters of the food cooked and wine - culminating in an excellent lunch with wine featuring the demonstrated dishes - all very good value for the inclusive price. And then there is the Goody bag - nice touch. Very popular so book well in advance.

The oscar peterson music night was absolutely brilliant !! The food was was excellent with a wide choice to suit all tastes !! The staff were very welcoming and attentive !! Worth a visit for the food even on a non music night or lunchtime.

Usually very good, the CB falls down a bit at lunchtime. I know we were eating from the special lunch menu, but that should be an advertisement for the restaurant rather than a downmarket version of good cooking. The starters were both truly excellent. The fish soup and the tartlet were yummy. The mains, eh!. I had the tempura courgette, the vegetarian option and it was lukewarm and pretty dull. The chicken my friend had was again, OK, but would not normally be worth coming out for. The dessert, the chocolate bread and butter pudding, was a modest brown lump in a sea of yellow custard, un-decorated, un-garnished, not very attractively served, and while tasty, was not really worth even the £5.50 from the (now pricier than before) specials menu. The service remains ok, but again, a little charmless and mechanical. They could do better for very little extra effort.

We went here for our company Christmas lunch. The food was really good and the staff looked after us really well. There was no problem with there being 15 of us and they made sure that we all felt looked after.

Following rave reviews we ventured here for a Christmas party - the venue was busy but as we were expecting exceptional quality it fell rather short particularly with the prices which would be fine if the offering was right

Came here for our office Christmas party. Three of us arrived at the same time to join the rest of the party. No staff member offered me a drink. I had ordered the smoked partridge and rabbit terrine which was huge compared to everyone else’s starters! Then three of us had ordered the turkey dinner, which oddly isn’t in the main Christmas party menu and had to be ordered in advance! White meat topped with brown meat, three large roast potatoes and a large Yorkshire pudding. Veg came separately. No pigs in blankets or stuffing and I had to ask for more gravy. Again a huge meal when the person next to me ordered the jerk lamb which was tiny in comparison (and the person opposite had risotto which was also small) and I think the veg we had was only intended for the people having (the already huge turkey dinner). My colleague asked for more veg as she also had one of the ‘smaller meals’. The staff were attentive at the right times. There were no crackers on the table no Christmas decorations apart from a garland on he fire place, no music in the background. It didn’t feel Christmassy at all. I would like to go back when it’s not Christmas to see what it’s like normally as I understand it has quite the reputation. Sadly first impressions weren’t great for me.

Had a lunch for a group of about 50; my turkey was luke warm and the vegetables arrived a few minutes after the main course was served. Service of coffee was very slow; those who received it first were ready to leave before we got ours. Heating in the marquee was unsatisfactory - either neartly suufocating with the heat or two minutes later freezing.

We visited the Crooked Billet with friends for the steak and kidney pudding and it was so delicious. It was served with mash and kale which I have never liked but I am now converted! It was lovely.With the smell of the log fire burning away in the next room and everyone enjoying themselves the atmosphere was great. We will definitely be visiting again very soon, there are so many things on the menu I want to try!!!

We were looking forward to our lunch as we have eaten here before and the food was perfectly good for this type of establishment.

Visited today with friends for lunch. Excellent food. Good choice of wines. Good service. Tempted to deduct a mark for the seriously uncomfortable pew seating but thought that would be unfair.

Always delicious and great value from their set menu. The starters can be hit and miss but the mains and especially roast beef is perfect. Lovely surroundings, puddings are huge !

Ages since we last visited and I can’t think why. Quirky surroundings, terrific food, friendly informed service and good value for the lunch menu. Stunning fish soup, delicious salmon and venison - everything was very high quality.

My wife and I attended the Bob Harris evening. Had a delicious starter of mussels followed by the most amazing venison. Service could be improved. Our main courses arrived and after a delay, we had to ask the waitress again for the accompanying side dishes - we didn't want the venison going cold! Also, had to ask twice for the whereabouts of my brandy. Apart from these niggles, it was fantastic.

Three of us lunched there. We enjoyed the onion tart and tuna starters. The main course duck was tender ( a sharper knife would have helped) as was the fish though the octopus was disappointing. It's a super place and in October there was a log fire.

WOW! This place is superb! The food is simply amazing and the place is gorgeous, original and querky. Everything about this place is not to be missed - Thank you! We walked there one evening & caught a taxi back. LOVED IT!

I was so excited to go to the Crooked Billet in Stoke Row . I ordered some Bread and Hummus , balsamic, oil and pesto. The Walnut Bread was divine and all the other breads were yummy. Next was the salt and pepper Squid with chilli sauce again perfection.

Always a favourite great staff great feel but maybe I chose badly tonight. Had delicious fish soup to start following by the lamb dish nice but dry for me. Nothing wrong here with this restaurant but we go for a treat but not a big enough treat this time. But note will not stop me returning.

Have not been for a long time - forgotten how great the food and service was when visited two weeks ago

Excellent lobster lunch with the lovely onion and cheese tart as a starter, followed by a good cheese selection. Very good Chablis washed it all down. What a perfect way to spend a sunny lunchtime.

Last couple of weeks of their 'lobster lunches' so must not miss out. Excellent greeting, service, food...whitebait and duck dishes to start with lobster thermidor and beef and venison stew to follow, all cooked perfectly washed down a glass of Suvignon and pint of local brew.

We went in August as I just love Lobster. Everything was good and the atmosphere lively. Will return very soon. Gill C

All four of us had fish dishes and every dish was cooked perfectly, with nothing overpowering the delicate flavor of the fish.

Great customer service by each individual staff. Also large variety of food choices including vegan options. Was absolutely lovely. 😎😎

There can be no doubt that The Crooked Billet deserves all the praise which has been heaped on it. This is somewhere very special, almost in the middle of nowhere, with outstanding food and wine and a lovely atmosphere. Our friends were aghast in equal measure with surprise that such a place existed and pleasure with what was sampled. I have not has such an enjoyable meal for ages.

This is one of my wife’s and my favourite places to eat. Beautifully sited in the countryside of Stoke Row. This time we were with our friends who have also been to the restaurant before.

Spent lovely sunny lunchtime her with friends recently. The road to the pub is narrow so take your time wending your way from the main road through the village. Parking is plentiful at the pub unless there is a big event on when it would look to be a bit tight. Staff were very friendly and efficient without hurrying us along in any way. Food options were good and the lobster special good value at £20. Two courses off the specials menu is great value at under £20. Nice, well kept beer, (Breakspear Gold) was tasty and moreish too. Lovely pub / restaurant to visit, can very much recommend and I am certain we will be back.

Not knowing the area the owners of our accommodation suggested this place and booked a table for us. Both our meals were very good, in fact my steak was one of the best I have had in the UK. We weakened and had a dessert which in both cases was very good. Service did get a little slow at times but it was busy.

We had lunch here and the food was terrific - there was an August special lobster mains for £20 also on the menu.